


Synopsis: Mountain Men

by dairesfanficrefuge_archivist



Category: Highlander: The Series
Genre: Meta, Season/Series 01
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2003-12-31
Updated: 2003-12-31
Packaged: 2018-12-18 07:02:33
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,547
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11869077
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dairesfanficrefuge_archivist/pseuds/dairesfanficrefuge_archivist
Summary: Note from Daire, the archivist: this story was originally archived atDaire's Fanfic Refuge. Deciding to give the stories a more long-term home, I began importing its works to the AO3 as an Open Doors-approved project in August 2017. I e-mailed all creators about the move and posted announcements, but may not have reached everyone. If you are (or know) this creator, please contact me using the e-mail address onDaire's Fanfic Refuge's collection profile.





	Synopsis: Mountain Men

**Author's Note:**

> Note from Daire, the archivist: this story was originally archived at [Daire's Fanfic Refuge](http://fanlore.org/wiki/Daire%27s_Fanfic_Refuge). Deciding to give the stories a more long-term home, I began importing its works to the AO3 as an Open Doors-approved project in August 2017. I e-mailed all creators about the move and posted announcements, but may not have reached everyone. If you are (or know) this creator, please contact me using the e-mail address on [Daire's Fanfic Refuge's collection profile](http://archiveofourown.org/collections/dairesfanficrefuge/profile).

Mountain Men

**MOUNTAIN MEN**

In the previous episode, Tessa-for the first time-saw Duncan kill. But Bryan Slade was not Immortal, and there was no swordplay to speak of. 

In this one, Tessa sees Immortal combat at its fiercest and most ugly, complete with beheading. Then, she forces herself to watch in rapt amazement as her lover is ripped and wrenched by the violent Quickening. Now, at last, she understands what Duncan has shielded her from for the past twelve years. When it's over, Duncan staggers into her arms for comfort, grateful that she is alive and unhurt, but knowing that he can no longer keep that part of his Immortality from her. 

The backdrop of this episode is the stunning, magnificent Pacific Northwest. 

_**New Characters:**_

**CALEB** \- Immortal mountain man, left civilization when his wife died, believing mortal medicine killed her. He has turned feral, killing without remorse in order to provide for his needs and keep his privacy intact. However, he yearns for feminine companionship, kidnapping Tessa to be his 'wife'. 

**JOSHUA** \- Caleb's adopted son and companion. 

**EDDIE DOYLE** \- rounds out the threesome, the 'mountain men'. 

**SHERIFF BENSON** \- searching for Tessa and his lost deputy, he learns that MacLeod is no tenderfoot. Mac's tracking know-how helps lead him eventually to Caleb, but Mac's already taken the matter into his own hands. 

**CARL, THE HERMIT** \- Immortal tracker and survivalist. Back in the 1860's, he and MacLeod ran into each other (literally), became friends, exchanging skills. Mac learned much of his tracking expertise from Carl. Now, when he confronts Caleb, he knows he has met Carl's killer. 

**BIG JOHN** \- owns and runs the trading post. 

* * *

The ghostlike full moon,   
On the cliff, its rays kiss.   
Two men shot, their bodies-   
Dropped down the abyss.   
Thus starts the story   
Of a small evil band.   
The three Mountain Men,   
Who live off the land. 

One Year Later, Present Day 

Bright sunshine illumines-   
A forest paradise.   
Tess parks at Big John's   
To obtain some supplies.   
Unseen and unheard,   
In the foliage lurking,   
Caleb, Joshua and Eddie,   
Are watching and smirking. 

Tess sits near the rocks,   
Peacefully sketching,   
Symbols carved by the 'Old Ones,'   
She ponders each etching.   
A voice from above,   
Breaks her rapt concentration,   
Three rough men surround her-   
She fears molestation. 

Caleb, their leader,   
His beard short and scraggy,   
'One fine hunk a-woman!'   
His voice thick and craggy,   
'This is _our_ front porch,   
No one comes to this place.'   
His gaze never wavers-   
From her lovely face. 

They circle around her,   
In a deadly sarabande,   
She grabs Eddie's knife,   
And slashes his hand.   
Caleb begs her pardon,   
No harm is intended.   
His proposal of marriage-   
To Tess is extended. 

'I'm _married,_ let me _go!_ '   
She's firm, despite fear.   
'Your home is with ME now,   
You can't be tracked here.'   
They pull her away,   
Where none can pursue,   
But slyly, she drops-   
Lip-gloss as a clue! 

MacLeod has returned   
From his travels to Peking,   
Richie tells him that Tessa-   
In the mountains is sketching.   
'She wants you to know   
(If she hasn't returned),   
She's with your favorite Shaman.'   
Now Mac grows concerned. 

He leaves straightaway-   
For Big John's Trading Post,   
Sheriff Benson is there,   
His expression morose.   
'I'm concerned for your lady,'   
He admits with a frown.   
'Caleb and his boys-   
Have been sneaking around.' 

'Last year I lost two-   
Of my deputies hereabout,   
Went in after Caleb,   
And never came out!   
Caleb is a mountain man,   
Like Josh and Eddie,   
If you come across them,   
The result will be deadly.' 

'Come with us,' Benson offers,   
Mac: 'You'd slow me down...   
Been up here before,   
Know my way around.'   
Mac strides toward the woods,   
Leaving them floored,   
Big John's mouth falls open-   
He's dumbstruck-'A _sword????_ ' 

As Duncan kneels down,   
Seeing prints in the dirt,   
He thinks back to Carl.   
The tracking expert.   
These woods were Carl's home,   
Where he roamed with delight.   
Carl taught Mac his secrets,   
Mac taught Carl to fight. 

'Learn the ways of the land,   
And this you will know,   
When you're tracking a man,   
It is NORTH he will go.'   
Mac remembers his wisdom,   
And he hits the ground running.   
To rescue his Tessa,   
He'll need woodsman's cunning. 

The sight of an airplane,   
Gives Tess some hope.   
She opens her compact,   
But Eddie's no dope,   
He spies the mirror's flash,   
Leaps in her direction,   
But Caleb cries, 'NO!   
She has my protection!' 

Caleb asks, 'What's your name?'   
'Tessa,' says she.   
'I'd die for you, Tessa.'   
Tess:'You hardly know me.'   
She never stops scheming,   
Her instincts are sound.   
She lets fall her compact-   
Second clue on the ground. 

Benson finds the lip-gloss,   
MacLeod spots the compact,   
This is Mac's confirmation,   
That he's on the right track.   
Playing Josh against Eddie,   
She uses her charm,   
When Eddie attacks her,   
Josh shields her from harm. 

Caleb _must_ be Immortal,   
From what Tess has spied,   
Son Josh, is adopted,   
Profile, verified.   
Caleb recounts-   
How he grieved for his wife,   
'I've been REBORN before,'   
Telling Tess of his life. 

Perched high on a branch,   
Camouflaged with great care,   
No living creature,   
Can know Mac is there.   
As he views in the distance,   
Their campfire smoke rise,   
Duncan, the tracker,   
Plans his surprise. 

Mac sneaks up on Josh,   
Puts the sword to his throat,   
But Eddie's gun stops him,   
The boys pause to gloat.   
Forcing Mac to the edge-   
Of that same rocky cleft,   
Where two deputies died,   
Without a clue left. 

'Doesn't matter,' states Duncan,   
No fear on face,   
They want him to beg,   
But he leaps into space!   
The boys take his sword,   
As a trophy of war,   
They bring it to Caleb,   
And now he is sure. 

'You know this _sword?_ '   
At Tessa, he flaunts.   
'You've killed her man, boys!'   
'He's like YOU!' she taunts.   
Caleb now changes plans,   
Knowing Mac's a long liver,   
He snaps at the boys-   
'Hurry, head for the river!' 

At the base of the chasm,   
Rocks and skeletons, scattered...   
Duncan lies with the deputies,   
Broken and shattered.   
From his form, barely conscious-   
Emits a loud crackling,   
As his bones knit together,   
His agony, unslackening. 

He is bloody and torn,   
Every breath makes him flinch,   
But he climbs through his pain,   
Creeping up, inch by inch.   
He reaches the top,   
Yet his struggle's not over,   
Now he must get to Tessa,   
And rescue his lover! 

Big River revives him,   
Washing off blood and grime,   
Taking off again running,   
Making up for lost time.   
Subsisting on berries,   
His faculties freshen,   
He's a hunter, a tracker-   
Thanks to Carl's lesson. 

Josh takes a crossbow,   
To the riverbank, hunting-   
While Tess stays with Caleb,   
Eddie's sent away grunting.   
Duncan is hidden,   
On Big River's bank,   
As Eddie approaches,   
Mac jumps him, point-blank. 

Mac leaps out from hiding,   
Hits Josh like a madman,   
Josh is convinced,   
That he's fighting a dead man.   
Mac binds him and gags him,   
Then tucks him away,   
For the sheriff to find,   
Much later that day. 

Caleb hears a strange noise,   
That he's not heard before,   
So, he ties up poor Tessa,   
And runs to make sure.   
He soon feels the 'Buzz,'   
Telling him, Mac is near,   
He cries out his challenge,   
To fight in the clear. 

'I'll blow out your chest,   
Then take your life-   
I'll cut off your head,   
With a rusty pocket knife.'   
He fires a shot,   
In Duncan's direction,   
But the blast's loud enough-   
For the sheriff's detection. 

Holding Joshua's crossbow,   
Caleb's grieving aloud,   
He menaces Tess,   
'Josh was killed by MacLeod!'   
Tess:'That's not his way...   
Where was Eddie at the time?'   
So Eddie, though innocent,   
Dies for the 'crime.' 

Tess is appalled,   
At the slaughter of Eddie,   
But events now move quickly,   
And she must be ready.   
The mountain man senses,   
Duncan's presence-unseen,   
Caleb clutches a battle-ax,   
His weapon, obscene. 

'I had your _woman,_   
I had her _GOOD!_ '   
He lies to distract Mac,   
(As if he now could).   
'Carl spoke of you kindly,'   
Caleb gloats, with a snarl,   
Now Mac realizes,   
It was Caleb, killed Carl. 

Mac: 'This was _Carl's_ place,'   
Carl who sought to befriend him,   
Mac bursts out from cover,   
No weapon to defend him.   
Tess surrenders Mac's sword,   
As the mountain man attacks,   
Caleb wields the katana,   
Mac grabs Caleb's battle-ax. 

They battle with fury,   
With frenzy they clash,   
To the edge of the river,   
In the water, they splash.   
Tessa does what she can,   
She remains undismayed,   
Clubbing Caleb from behind,   
When Duncan needs aid. 

Waist deep in Big River,   
Both weapons are flailed,   
Savagely, they both hack-   
MacLeod is impaled!   
'Your Quickenin's mine!'   
Caleb savors Mac's slaughter,   
But with Mac's final swing-   
Caleb's head hits the water. 

It is over...Mac staggers,   
Sorely hurt, badly drained.   
Tessa stands in place, numbly...   
Sharing his pain.   
The Quickening takes him,   
He can't overcome it,   
For twelve years he's struggled-   
To protect Tessa from it. 

He's wracked by the spasms,   
Jolted by lightning,   
Tess gazes transfixed,   
At its spectacle, frightening.   
When MacLeod's cries abate,   
And the torment is over,   
He collapses exhausted,   
In the arms of his lover. 

They dig Caleb's grave,   
Near Big River he's laid,   
Mac returns to retrieve,   
His warrior's blade.   
Tess gazes at Duncan,   
Twelve years have now finished,   
A new chapter opens-   
With their love undiminished. 

Peace, Emit   
© 2001-2003 

~ Deadly Medicine   
  
---


End file.
